1. Filed of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a mechanical hammer for industrial applications. More specifically, the invention is an improved concrete and/or pavement breaking apparatus adaptable for attachment to skid loaders.
2. Description of the Related Art
A variety of devices have been devised for demolition activity related to cutting and/or pounding pavement or concrete. These devices have also been used for inserting posts of various sorts where human effort alone has been found insufficient for achieving the magnitude of forces required to accomplish particular objectives, particularly, required for removal of concrete or similar material. The difficulty with most of the conventional devices for asphalt, concrete or pavement removal found in the prior art is that such devices are either complex machinery having gears and pulleys as moveable mechanical elements which constantly requires repairs from cyclical or long term use. As with the conventional devices modern, apparatus for breaking apparatus are limited in mobility and use and are permenently fixed to vehicle with added difficulty for transport. An improved concrete breaker which is resistant to cyclical stresses and/or material fatigue and has minimized mechanical parts for quick and easy mechanical connections and transport as herein described is lacking in the prior and currently related demolition devices.
For example, Patents issued to Schumacher (U.S. Pat Nos. 1,250,521 and 1,521,327), Lee (U.S. Pat. No. 5,755,048) and Fujinawa(JP 59908) disclose asphalt and concrete drilling or cutting apparatuses which are operated via complex gear and pulley systems with some automation. The cutting heads disclosed, particularly in the first three aforementioned patents, are mechanically and permanently fixed and resembles the shape of conventional back hoes. The patent issued to Fujinawa, however, discloses a concrete drill robot having a single drill bit disposed within a articulated arm run by a battery powered controller as a position controlled hammer drill. Drill bits have the tendency to fracture and are known for indirectly inflicting injury due to flying debris. These devices subsequently require vacuums or power fans considered unnecessary and superfluous by the concrete breaker as herein described.
U.S. Patents which disclose mechanical hammers of similar conventional construction are those issued to Downie (U.S. Pat. No. 2,029,363), Adams (U.S. Pat. No. 2,529,892), Craig et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 2,688,233) and Miller (U.S. Pat. No. 3,091,159). These systems are pulley based systems which include multiple connection to a control cabin of heavy duty tractors. The hammer heads are mechanically secured via mechanical fasteners and are not shaped an form as a single entity. In most excavating mechinery, various adaptor heads are used in the related industry including those having the ornamental design as shown in the U.S. Design Pat. No. 252,461 issued to Korpi.
More recently, ground breaking apparatuses disclosed by Klochko (U.S. Pat. No. 4,457,645), Osborn (U.S. Pat. No. 5,234,282), Bishop (U.S. Pat. No. 5,662,385) and Spence (GB 2028902) have been devised which approach the concrete breaker as herein described or have semblance thereof, but are significantly different. The patent issued to Bishop discloses a hammer for demolishing sidewalks and the like which has a single solid circular head attached to a plurality of metal support strips of varying lengths and are fastened together at an opposite end via a nut and bolt fastener assembly. The Patent issued to Klochko discloses a similar apparatus which utilizes a plurality of mechanically fastened strips for supporting a single solid cylindrical hammer head for breaking pavement. The arm is manipulated via dual purpose jack lift and truck transportation vehicle.
The patent issued to Osborn appears to have features similar to the concrete breaker as herein described, however, this hammer absorbs impact as a localized concentration at the head of the hammer, which unfortunately results in material fatigue or fracture from cyclical stresses. Another contributing factor to material fatigue is due to the structural shape or configuration of the hammer head. The concrete head according to the instant invention has an asymmetrical construction which uniformly distributes stresses without material fatigue related to localized stress concentrations. Another significant difference is there are no dampers used to minimize mechanical vibrations within the hammer as herein described.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singularly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. Thus, a concrete breaker head solving the aforementioned problems is desired.